10 Ways Snapchat's Emoji Update Will Ruin Your Social Life

The anxiety!

On Monday, Snapchat released Friend Emojis, a feature that replaces the app's previous Best Friends list as a way to rank your most frequent Snap pals. Sure, it might seem better than before—the dark days when users were privy to the top three Snapchat friends of everyone on their contact list—but this update by no means curbs the anxiety.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

The new private feature ranks Snapchat interactions using a variety of emoji symbols. It may seem harmless, but understanding the breakdown of what these emojis represent is about to mess with psyches everywhere. That sassy smirk face? Don't worry, you'll never see it the same way again.

Below, a breakdown of what these new emoji labels mean...and the inevitable, crushing, over-analyzed-to-a-fault possible paranoia they will cause.

Congrats! If this emoji appears beside your contact's name, rest assured you are both one another's #1 best friend. But...

Possible paranoia:

The gold heart appears next to your mom's name (if she is hip to the Snapchat game), leaving you constantly on edge about the possibility that someone might discover your Snap friend of choice.

The gold heart suddenly disappears...Mom's moved on. WHO has bish been snapping instead?!?!?!?

Awkward. This emoji, referred to by some as the "foot in mouth" emoji, is a troublemaker at heart (do emojis have hearts?). If this icon appears, it means that you and that person share a mutual #1 best friend on Snapchat. Let's just say with this emoji in the mix, there's no place to hide.

Possible paranoia:

That gritting teeth emoji shows itself beside your best girlfriend; however, your Snapchat #1 is your boyfriend. In this case you'll probably start asking yourself what your sister from another mister is doing getting Snap-busy with your man friend? It's about to get real.

Worse? Consider the gritting teeth emoji that shows itself beside your ex-boyfriend—and your Snapchat best friend is your best girlfriend. HOLD THE PHONE. Or, in this case, you might smash it to the ground. Whatever happened to girl code?

Seemingly benign, this emoji is a subtle smack in the face. It means, quite simply, that whoever boasts this symbol is one of your best Snapchat friends. But really, what's the point of being deemed a "best friend" if you're not #1?

Possible paranoia:

Your friend has the smiley beside her name meaning you give her the pleasure of your Snap attention. But this emoji offers no form of reciprocal clarity, meaning you might be wasting your time on a "best friend" who does not return the effort. Burn.

As if this emoji structure was not complicated enough, this symbol rests a tier below the former grimace emoji as it denotes a shared best friend (note the distinction: not a #1 best friend).

Possible paranoia:

Consider the feeling upon discovering you are the token "sunglasses" girl. Essentially, this means you have this emoji label beside your name on several friends' lists, putting you in your place as that person who is everyone's friend and yet nobody's' #1. *Sigh* We are all Gretchen Weiner.

The ultimate sucker punch, this emoji indicates that you appear on your contact's best friend list but he or she doesn't appear on yours. In other words, we have ourselves a classic case of unrequited love.

Possible paranoia:

Remember that Tinder date you went on when the guy uncomfortably forced his way onto your Snapchat contact list even though you planned never to see him again? Yeah, well, he boasts that unfortunate smirk beside his name because he hasn't stopped Snap-stalking you since that night. Guess it might be time to break the news: The feeling isn't mutual, bud.

If enough smirks start showing themselves on your contact list, it very well might get to your head. You know, "They love me, they really love me!" and all that. Nobody likes a narcissist—take care not to let those smirks puff you up too much.

Disclosure said it best: "When a fire starts to burn, and it starts to spread, she gonna bring that attitude home." This emoji, with a number beside it, tells you the number of consecutive days you and said person have been snapping. Your relationship is literally on fire.

Possible paranoia:

So you and that guy went on your second date and, according to the faithful fire emoji, have been engaged in suggestive snaps for four consistent days since. But despite the incoming snaps he has yet to actually text you. Or, you know, call. Let the self-questioning commence, the hard-falling romantic in you stumble, and the attitude emerge.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
ELLE participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.